Are you learning Latin with D'Ooge's Beginners Latin Book? Here's where you can meet other learners using this textbook. Use this board to ask questions and post your work for feedback and comments from others.

Celtica wrote:I wouldn't have a clue, as I haven't seen a copy of Wheelock's.

While by no means an expert Latinist, I maintain an avid interest in pedagogy and have seen very many beginning Latin and Greek textbooks over the years, owning a few of each. My vote against Wheelock is based on having his 3rd edition, although I have been told that the current one (6th) is much improved. His goal is to teach the abundantly distracted, late 20th century college student to read Latin, so he treats Latin as a dead language.

Andrus wrote:I like very much Dâ€™Ooge book but probably there are new books better.

Don't count on it. I've heard good things about the Assimil course and mixed reviews of Lingua Latina on these fora, but as I have seen neither yet. do not have an informed opinion.

D'Ooge is typical of the late 19th century classical language textbook. The goal here is a thorough mastery of the language through grammatical drill, reading, and writing, throwing in some speaking and aural comprehension for interest and variety. The pedagogical method is old fashioned, but I think it still produces good results if one's attention span hasn't been obliterated by video games. In contrast, mid 20th century textbooks teach less Latin.

If I were to improve on D'Ooge, I would distinguish consonantal from vocalic "i" (i.e., use "j") and add plenty of audio recordings to give practice in pronunication. Active use is the most important element which the solitary student misses from the classroom experience. The act of moving your vocal apparatus to recite paradigms and exercises makes learning physical as well as mental and visual.

What make me choose Dâ€™Ooge was:1- It is free2- After I started with it I liked so why change it?3- There is a forum in Textkit dedicated to the book (although lately it has been with little movement)

Can't argue with 1, especially with the price of classics books these days; 2 is vital to learning, as the first five lessons in ten textbooks will not get you to lesson fifty; 3 has always been low traffic, but questions and problems are almost always addressed.

Having now studied Latin for several years I decided to go back and do a complete revision - and with a lot of material to choose from I still decided to use D'Ooge. Yes, the sentences and little stories are ridiculous, but somehow that adds to the fun! Some more modern textbooks are far too dull and technical and assume everyone is too busy to be bothered with a slow steady pace. But with languages that seems to be the only way to get a true understanding.

I vote D'Ooge. I'm studying latin independently, and have both Wheelocks and printed out D'ooge.

For me, D'Ooge is much better. It takes everything a bit slower, and there are way more excercises to go through (plus the key), which means that I can feel relatively comfortable with what the chapters are teaching.

I guess it all depends on your learning style. Some other people might pick up the grammar easier, learn faster and be bored with the repetition that I need.

I'll use Wheelock's after I finish the similar chapters in D'Ooge. If I was in a classroom where I could get immediate help (or was just smarter ), maybe I could use Wh with more success.

I might pick up the other book that seems to be causing a controversy, Lingua Latina, for bed time reading, if i ever see it in a book store (it has eluded me thus far).